Canopy holder



Dec. 8, 1953 M. c. WILT CANOPY HOLDER Filed July 5, 1949 a w/w PatentedDec. 8, 1953 lMelvin 'Charles wilt, Hinsdaie, -Iu, -assignor kw CurtisLighting, Jnc Ch-iwrgQ, :Ill-. a morporation of IllinoisApplication-Filly 6, 1949;senanymna246 'flfhi-s invention 'rela't'es't'osupports for hanging fixtin'es and it relates particularly to theconstruc- 'ti'onlforming a part of a hanger for :lightingfixtunes.

:Fixtures of the'type described, which are sus- Zpen'ded from theceiling, are usually provided with a' ca'nopy that covers up the openingthrough which 'fcormection is made between the hanger .rodF'andtheceiling. It is desirable to'have a systern whereby the canopy may beeasily and quickfly securedin its position of use andit is alsodeisirableat the same time to insulate the canopy ifrom the hanger rod.

I-t.=is an object of'this invention to provide a new and improvedconstruction permitting the tion but not of limitation, an "embodimentis 'sho'whinthe accompanying dravs'rings inwh'ich: Figure l is anelev'ation'al'viewpartially'insec tion of the hanger construction"associated v with the canopy and'embodyin'g features of thisinverition;

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line l.2 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view partially in section of anothermodification embodying features of my invention, and

Figure 5 is a, sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of Figure 4,

As shown in the drawing, a hanger rod l0 having a screw threaded endportion l I is carried by a hickey l2 having one horizontally disposedupper end portion l3 which rests on the upper face of the ceiling and abifurcated horizontally dis posed lower end portion M which is grippedbetween a pair of cooperating nuts l5 and i6 operative on the screwthreaded end portion H. The hickey is adapted to carry the weight of thefixture and the hanger parts associated therewith.

An opening is usually made in the ceiling or other support for theentrance of the hickey. In the event that the suspended fixture is alighting fixture, lead-in wires may be threaded through 2 Claims. (01.24s -?'45) 2 ztlie'npening -andzpassed through the hanger-rodflmfor'connection with the lighting elements. To coiver up'theopenin'gwand conceal the wires and zhickema up shaped canopy H ispositionedat -thempper endpf the hanger rod with its-outer rim insubstantial engagement with the underside of the ceiling or othersupport. 'The canopy -maybeofany desired shape and itmay be forme d-of'tmetal orinrolded*ofaplastics or other relatively rigid amaterialcapable =of :retaining shape while 'a'tthe sameftimecgiv'ingan'attractive or decorative appearance.

""When in :its position of use, the canopy I! is meld'ion the h angerrodby a Eferrule or retainer g 2=0 forinediofirelatively rigid,resilientmate- "rialsuch as metal, :plasti'cs, hard rubber "and thelike. The preferred materials are polystyrene, fpolyethylene,ipolytetrofiuoroethylene, polyvinylid ine' chloride, vinyl polymers andcopolymers of acetate :andichloride "derivatives, rubber hydrochloride,h'ardene'd imaterial and synthetic "rubtiers and the like. -The'ferruleis formed-asp eat-same member having an inner -=diameter hieh' isslightly greater than the overall "diameter'of the lianger zrodl"The-sleeve is a splitsleeve qiav'ing aslotfl-fi through' one side wall.'The'outer 1 22 1s taperedto rc'onform generally with the toiir of-"ansannul'arly flanged sleeve portion 23 struck 'wa dly I from the lowercentral portion of thenepymn'd anannularzrim 2'4 formed-all erun hetower endiportion :of the sleeve-"like fe rr iil'e, ifiinctions as areinforcement and gripping element. The outer diameter at the upper endportion of the ferrule is calculated to be less than the diameterbetween walls at the lower end of the flanged portion 23 while the outerdiameter at the base of the tapered portion is greater.

To effect the assembly of parts after the hickey has been connected tosupport the hanger rod, the canopy is placed in the desired position andthen the ferrule is slid upwardly along the hanger rod and into thespace between the hanger rod and the annularly flanged sleeve 23 of thecanopy. As the tapered walls of the canopy and sleevelike ferrule engageeach other with increasing force, the split sleeve portion is cammedinwardly. The slotted ortion permits the diameter of the ferrule todecrease until the ferrule firmly grips the hanger rod all around. Suchfrictional engagement between the ferrule and the hanger rod uponreaction between the tapered surfaces 01" the ferrule and the canopy issufficient to position the canopy on the hanger rod in a manner toresist inadvertent displacement. This assembly is maintained until theferrule is purposely 3 withdrawn by external force which may be appliedto the lower rim.

Instead of first positioning the canopy and then sliding the ferruleinto position, the ferrule with the canopy resting thereon may beslipped along the hanger rod until the canopy engages the underside ofthe ceiling whereupon additional force on the ferrule reacts in themanner described to establish the desired mounted relation. The rim 24,in addition to its function as a gripping means, serves also to preventpossible passage of the ferrule through the opening between the spacedcanopy and hanger rod.

The ferrule separating the hanger rod from the canopy may be formed ofelectrical insulating material such as the rubberlike or plasticsmaterial described to insulate the canopy from the fixture parts whenused in an electrical installation.

It will be apparent that the taper of the flanged sleeve 23 iscalculated to provide for greater area of contact and that the desiredreaction can be secured Without the taper and even without the sleeve.Without the sleeve, the reaction will be with the edge portion definingthe opening in bottom wall 25, and the split cone shaped grommet 20.

In another modification shown in Figure 4, a split sleeve 26 in theshape of an inverted frustoconical section is struck to depend from thebottom wall 25 with the smallest diameter of the sleeve at the bottombeing slightly greater than the overall diameter of the hanger rod Ill.The sleeve is cammed into gripping relation with the hanger rod uponreaction with a rigid grommet or retainer ring 21 having an internaldiameter slightly greater than the smallest outer diameter of the sleevebut less than the diameter along the major portion of the sleeve. Theinternal walls of the grommet may be tapered to correspond with that ofthe sleeve to provide for a greater area of contact when in position ofuse. Instead of forming the sleeve 26 integral with the canopy, it maybe formed of a separate part of materials described as being suitablefor the rehanger rod. Upon removal of the grommet, the sleeve is able toreturn to its original dimension for easy sliding movementlongitudinally on the hanger rod.

It will be understood that numerou changes in the details ofconstruction arrangement and operation may be eifected without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a suspension device having a canopy with a smooth walled aprondefining a central opening through which a hanger rod extends in closelyspaced relation with the walls defining the opening, a retainer forestablishing a connection between the canopy and the rod comprising a,ferrule of resilient material having the form of a unitary split sleevewith an internal diameter slightly greater than the overall diameter ofthe rod, a tapered outer wall dimensioned to range from a'diameter atone end which is less than that of the opening to a dimension which isgreater than that of the opening, and an annularly arranged bead on theend of larger diameter whereby upon sliding movement of the ferrule intothe space between the walls defining the opening and the rod, thediameter of the ferrule is decreased to establish a gripping relationwith the rod while supporting the apron on the outer surface thereof.

2. A suspension device as claimed in claim 1 in which the opening in thecanopy is defined by an annular wall tapered to correspond with that ofthe outer wall of the split sleeve to establish a greater area ofcontact.

- MELVIN CHARLES WIL'I.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re. 4,288 Buckman Mar. 7, 1871 349,361 Roots Sept. 21, 1886703,680 Vaught July 1, 1902 827,346 Bubb July 31, 1906 885,017 CassidyApr. 21, 1908 1,042,948 Morisons Oct. 29, 1912 1,380,147 Hoar May 31,1921 1,482,347 Conner Jan. 29, 1924 1,841,726 Glowacki Jan. 19, 19322,215,331 Marsh Sept. 17, 1940 2,228,282 Miller Jan. 14, 1941

